When Over Stays Under
by Ragerrodent
Summary: This is the story of my daydream that i recently did. NOTE: This is not a story about Gregor; this story features an original character, admittedly based on myself. It is the story of an Overlander named Ethan who finds the Underland, but wants to stay. It involves a journey up, and a war down. Don't exclude Gregor entirely tho...he's a character.
1. Chapter 1

Central Park couldn't have been prettier. The slight breeze in the cool, autumn air, the strolling couples enjoying the romantic venue, and the smell of clean air, so rare in New York City, all set beneath the setting sun. Yet he couldn't enjoy it. Why did he have to be here? Couldn't his family have picked someplace _good_ to take a vacation instead of this obnoxious city? If only he were in the mountains, or some quiet river, or…

"Ethan! Come look at what your sister found!" So much for that quiet river. Ethan and his family had been on vacation in this city for almost a week now, and he had been miserable the whole time. Not wanting to make a huge fuss, he went over to see what the excitement was all about. His sister, Emily, who was soon to go off to college, was holding a small, stray dog. Yep, not as cool as a good mountain. Nonetheless, a dog was still somewhat fun, so he came up and began scratching its head behind the ears, causing the dog to wag its tail in excitement.

Soon, however, the short-lived enjoyment of the dog gave way to Ethan's once again foul mood. He decided that he desperately needed some introvert time. After a lengthy debate on the subject, he convinced his parents to allow him to go for a walk by himself in the park and meet them back at the hotel in an hour or so. Wanting to get the most out of this time to himself, he immediately took off down a path and made his way to the largest rock formation he could find. After a quick climb, Ethan found himself settled on top of the rocks, enjoying the scene before him for the first time. He let his thoughts wander all over the place, allowing himself a half hour of blissful, undisturbed peace. Finally, he knew he ought to head back towards the hotel. Climbing down swiftly, he began to make his way there at a leisurely pace. As he walked by some smaller stones, he decided to jump on top of them and walk along them, but as he landed on the first stone, it rotated beneath his weight, sending him to the ground hard.

"The heck happened there?" he muttered to himself as he brushed the dirt off of himself. He checked out the stone that had just given him the trip down Gravity Lane – it seemed almost suspended in mid-air. On closer inspection he saw that the stone sat jammed on the outer edges of a hole about two or three feet in diameter. After days bored out of his mind, curiosity got the better of him; he shoved the stone until he could reasonably fit through the hole. Looking down, he saw a tunnel extending right beneath the hole. _Just a quick look around_ , he thought as he dropped down into the tunnel.

After pulling the stone back into place, though with just enough light coming through a crack to find it again, Ethan pulled his phone out to see and walked straight down the tunnel. It was rather uneventful, but it was better than nothing, so he kept walking for about five minutes until he came to the edge of a large cliff. Beneath him he could hear the faint sound of water. _Have I found an underground lake?_ He'd heard about that sort of thing existing due to years of erosion from old rivers. He stretched his phone out to get a better look, but lost his grip and dropped it. In an attempt to grab it, he found himself losing his balance and falling straight toward the "lake" beneath him…or so he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

As he fell, Ethan couldn't help feeling like an idiot. In his final moments he told himself over and over how stupid he was. _Really? You died by trying to save your phone?_ In the last glimpse before his phone went underwater, he saw the liquid rushing to meet him only ten feet away. He blinked in anticipation and felt himself land hard into the water, but he wasn't dead. Regaining his senses, he realized he wasn't even wet; he was being lifted up by something soft that had caught him – something big.

"Overlander, are you hurt?" a low voice purred. Still dumbstruck from the fall, Ethan didn't answer, but the voice persisted, "Did I injure you when I caught you?"

Suddenly remembering hitting this soft creature, Ethan managed to croak out, "Who…what are you?"

"I am the flier known as Orion. I was out fishing when I sensed your presence falling."

Thoughts began circling rapidly through Ethan's head as he tried to wrap his mind around things. Finally, his thoughts settled on their first question: "A flier? What's a flier?"

The bat seemed flustered, as if it had committed a huge insult. "Oh, my apologies, Overlander. I meant no offense with my bluntness. Of course you are unaware of our customs and language. A flier, as I am, is known in the Overland, I believe, as a 'bat'."

A bat! He was flying on the back of a talking bat! Thousands more questions came to him from the one answer, but he tried to restrain himself and asked simply, "Overland? Wait, if I'm and 'Overlander', then where the heck am I?"

"Why, the Underland of course," Orion replied casually.

"Okay…and that is where, exactly?"

Orion hesitated, like Ethan must not be hearing him correctly. "It…it's _under_ the Overland."

"Well, what do I do now?" Ethan asked, suddenly wanting things to come to a conclusion soon. It seemed to him that Orion had been flying straight for a while now, and he wanted to know what the giant bat that shouldn't be able to speak had in mind. For all he knew it was a giant vampire bat and planned to take Ethan to its kids for dinner.

"Oh, I am not sure what to do honestly. Thus, I am taking you straight to Regalia to see Queen Luxa." The words meant almost nothing to Ethan, but he got the idea that his fate was held in this Queen Victoria, or whatever, lady. He couldn't help wondering if this queen were an old British lady. It was a ridiculous thought in his present situation, but as far as he was considered, the situation itself was all becoming ridiculous. Nobody was going to believe him when he got back home.

. . .

Being a queen had several disadvantages along with the advantages. One of them was that Luxa never had time anymore to train. Today she had a few rare, spare hours to herself, and she was using every last second of them to refresh her body on how to fight. She was disappointed with how out-of-shape she seemed. Memories of being as fit and agile as the best of and Underland fueled her frustration as she tried a simple flip landing off of her bond, Aurora.

"This is embarrassing," She grumbled as she fumbled her landing once again.

"You still have ability capable of rivaling many strong warriors," Aurora attempted to console her. She was having little success.

"Some leader I am; I can't even lead an attack anymore," Luxa was unwilling to let it go. Around them, a commotion seemed to be occurring. "What could it be," she asked, as if nothing could be as important as her woes at the moment.

"A flier is approaching – Orion," Aurora answered puzzled. "He was fishing in the Waterway today. There seems to be something special about his catch."

"What is it? A serpent?" scoffed Luxa, but secretly she was intrigued. Fliers did not generally become excited unless something was truly extraordinary.

"I cannot be certain. Wait, oh my."

"What?" Luxa asked, concerned at Aurora's obvious surprise.

"It seems that Orion caught…"

"Aurora! Tell me!" Luxa was on the verge of threats.

With a look of caution, Aurora quietly said, "Orion has found an Overlander."


	3. Chapter 3

Ethan was still dumbfounded by the city they had just passed through. What was it called? Regalia, that was it. The architecture was something else, and the idea that society could thrive down here was extraordinary. The people seemed excited by his arrival as Orion flew them to some destination, but not very surprised. Ethan guessed that he wasn't the first person to find that rock in the park. _Maybe there are even some more 'Overlanders' down here_ , he considered. Orion took him to the outskirts of the city and through a couple tunnels. On the other side, he saw a massive, rounded structure, like a NFL stadium; this seemed to be the bat's destination.

Flying over the rim of the structure, Ethan saw that several dozen of the inhabitants were spread around a wide expanse of some kind of turf doing exercises and training. As Orion brought them down for a landing, Ethan noticed that all eyes were already trained upon him, and quite a few of the people were starting to move in his direction. Getting his first good look at the people down here, Ethan noted that they were all excruciatingly pale, with hair between blonde and shining silver. What caught his attention, however, was when his gaze met returned stares and…and…those eyes! They were a startling violet shade that Ethan had never seen before in the Overland. Realizing his mouth was literally gaping open, he thought he had better try to be polite and closed his mouth.

"Hey, um, Orion?" he asked timidly.

"Yes, Overlander?"

"Who are all of these people?"

Taking a moment to survey the group, Orion answered, "Most of them are soldiers in the Regalian army here to train.

"Oh, of course they are," Ethan said while thinking, _if they decide they don't like me they can kill me that much easier_. At this point there was a wide circle of these Regalians surrounding Orion and his passenger and quietly murmuring to themselves. Finally, one of them, a large man who wielded a broadsword, spoke out.

"Greetings, Orion. I see you have found yourself quite a catch on your fishing trip." Small laughter came from the assorted crowd, but it wasn't laughter at Ethan really; rather, he could tell that these people simply had some level of civility and personality. Banking on this, he asked, "May I please speak with someone who has some form of authority? I would kind of like some answers on a few things." The large man who had spoken before seemed slightly surprised that Ethan had the nerve to speak, but quickly shifted back to a smile and replied, "Indeed, Overlander. You may speak to our highest authority here and now."

With that remark, a small hole opened in the circle to the left of Ethan. Turning to look, he saw that a single figure strode forward through the gap created straight toward him. For about the hundredth time that day, Ethan had to desperately try to keep the shock off his face. The figure walking to meet him, the queen he assumed by the man's introduction, was a girl close to his age who was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. Even with her strange Underlandish traits, her beauty seemed only intensified rather than belittled. Ethan swallowed hard to keep his head as she stopped a mere five feet away from Orion. A slight feeling of self-consciousness followed as the girl immediately studied him intensely from head to foot, but he noticed there seemed to be more desperation in her eyes than condescension; as if she were looking for something in him, or someone.

This all occurred in less than five seconds, and the girl quickly transitioned into a more official stature. "Greetings ,Overlander," she spoke formally, but smoothly. Ethan couldn't help thinking that this girl was probably nice, but she most definitely had a side of steel.

"Er…hi," _wow, very smooth, Ethan_.

The girl ignored his obvious fumbling and continued, "I am Queen Luxa of Regalia. Might I inquire as to your own name?" Yep she was the queen. As she asked for his name, Ethan saw another glimpse of the desperate hope in her eyes. _Who does she think I am?_

"I'm Ethan…just, an ordinary fellow from Florida," he answered. No sense trying to feign importance. He got over his fascination with the queen's beauty and began to vent his frustration due to ignorance. "So, as queen I assume you can give me some information. For instance, where the heck am I?"

Ethan immediately regretted his forceful tone. The girl's eyes lit up with a fire, like he had opened a furnace within her. She seemed to understand, though, that he was simply overwhelmed and she resumed her prior civility. "You have landed yourself in the Underland, a land inhabited by a variety of creatures of which humans are the most recent. A few hundred years ago, a group of Overlanders, led by a man named Bartholomew of Sandwich, made for themselves a home down here, fighting for survival and winning the city of Regalia as a trophy. Since then we have lived through times of war and relative peace, but four years ago there was a great war against the Gnawers, or rats as you call them. An Overlander like you saved us from extermination and, with help, brought us into an era of true peace that has thus far lasted." Luxa's eyes had a distant look to them now, like she was remembering past experiences.

Ethan took this all in for a moment. "So I'm not the first Overlander to come here?" he asked.

"Indeed," Luxa responded, "there have been several Overlanders to find their way into the Underland. Many met tragic fates, but the last Overlanders to come, the Warrior and his family, they survived their time down here, albeit with much hardship."

"The Warrior?"

Again, her eyes filled with that sad, longing. "Yes, our hero in the war, the great Warrior – Gregor the Overlander."

Not wanting to make a scene or anything, Ethan decided to bring that subject up later. For now he wanted to know what was going to happen to him. "So what happens now?"

She seemed to be wondering the same thing. "Frankly I am uncertain. We have yet to have Overlanders arrive for their first time when we were in a time of peace, so we never were able to return them to their home; however, seeing as we have no threats I suppose we can return you immediately should you wish."

He should've been relieved. He had been gone for little over an hour, so he could hurry back up to New York and make up some excuse about getting lost or attacked or something to explain his disappearance. No one would believe he had found a world under New York. But something in him made him hesitate. "Do I have to leave right away?" he inquired.

Luxa gave him a curious look, as if trying to understand why he would want to stay. "If you wish to stay, you are welcome to. Do you not simply wish to return?"

Ethan considered for a bit before answering. "I guess I would just kind of like to see what this place is like." Once he said it, Ethan realized that he didn't want to go back. As strange as this place was, he felt drawn to it, as if he were in his own territory. By staying longer, Ethan felt free. "Yeah, I think I want to stay for awhile.

He glanced around and realized that everyone around him was looking at him in surprise. "Is that a problem," he asked nervously.

Luxa answered, "No, of course you are welcome to stay if that is your wish. Come, let us return to the palace and we can discuess this further there. Orion, take the Overlander to the High Hall. I'll meet you there." With that, she turned and ran, leaping into the air only to be caught mid-leap by a golden bat. Yep, she was out of his league, but he just said, "Well, shall we I suppose?" He had begun to become comfortable with Orion, and he didn't mind when the bat took to the air. Upon entering back into the city, Ethan asked where the palace was.

"Merely look ahead, Overlander," replied Orion.

Ethan did, and was surprised he hadn't noticed it before. Before him about a half mile away was a giant tower carved out of stone, smooth as glass. As they got closer, it got even more impressive. Orion flew them to the top of the tower where a large opening led inward to a massive chamber. Luxa was waiting on that golden bat. As Orion landed, Luxa gestured around her, "Welcome to the heart of Regalia."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for all the support you all have given thus far. I hope you enjoy this chapter...**

After a grand tour of Regalia's palace, and it was indeed grand, Ethan was invited to dine with a select party. He didn't exactly have any plans, so he followed Luxa to one of the dining rooms that he had seen in the tour. They were met by laughter and conversation from the ten or so individuals already present. Ethan was only slightly surprised to find creatures other than humans at the dinner, but he figured he shouldn't be.

Those present included three humans, three fliers, a rat, and a cockroach, which Ethan was the most startled by. The conversation eased somewhat at Luxa's and his entrance, and she took the opportunity to introduce everyone. She began with the humans.

"Overlander, meet you Vikus, my grandfather," she started. The elderly man gave Ethan a friendly half-smile. He didn't look like he was in the best of health, but he put forth a genuine look of hospitality.

Luxa continued down the line, introducing Ethan to Howard and Hazard, her cousins. When they reached the fliers, she took the claw of one of the bats which had golden fur. "This is my bond, Aurora," she introduced. He'd begun to hear that term used a few times now.

"What's a bond?" he asked before she could continue.

She seemed about to answer when the rat spoke up. He was a fearsome creature with an "X"-shaped scar over his eyes. "Oh, a bond is just our little way of saying we'll save each other's' lives and such. You know, I'll save you if you will save me," he said it with such a cynical attitude that Ethan wasn't sure if he was serious or not.

"Yes, thank you for explaining it delicately, Ripred," Luxa said with disdain. "But he is right," she admitted turning back toward Ethan, "In crude terms, that is what a bond is. And you have just met my _other_ bond," she gestured to Ripred who acknowledged the statement with a sarcastic bow.

She continued down the line, introducing Vikus and Howard's bonds, Euripides and Nike. The cockroach was named Temp and seemed to be a very timid creature. Finally, they were all seated at the table. Ethan sat between Luxa and Howard, across from Hazard. The conversations all resumed as if they hadn't been interrupted when the servants began bringing in the food. Immediately, Ethan realized he was famished. Placed before him was a rich, beef stew with warm bread to accompany it. His mouth watered instantly, and he waited just long enough for someone else to take the first bite before he began devouring his dinner.

Howard noticed his haste and chuckled, "Easy Overlander; we won't take your dinner away from you."

Ethan paused, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude…"

Howard waved a hand, "It is alright. I merely don't want you to choke on your first meal in the Underland."

"Speaking of which," Ripred piped up, "just how long does the Overlander intend to stay?" His question was directed to Luxa, but she turned to Ethan, expecting the answer from him.

He felt slightly uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on him, particularly when he didn't have an answer. Realistically he should have left when he had been first given the chance, but now that he had stayed, he felt a longing to remain down. "How long could I stay?" he asked, trying to see what the limit was before he made any decisions.

For the first time that evening, Vikus spoke up in a soft, whisper of a voice. "Why, you are welcome to stay for as long as you care to."

Luxa nodded, "Yes, you are most welcome in the Underland for any duration; however, I must warn you that even in times of peace, it is still a dangerous place to live in. You may wish to plan your return sooner with that in mind."

Then Ethan asked the question that had been weighing on his mind the entire evening. "And, what if I don't want to return? Could I live here?"

The question caught them all off guard, except Vikus, who just gave him that half-smile. Luxa tried to make a reasonable response, "I…I suppose if you _truly_ desired to live in Regalia you would be welcome, but…" she seemed unable to accept the idea. "But you can't actually want to do so can you? Why would you forsake your own land?"

Ethan stared down at his stew, suddenly no longer hungry. "I guess I just don't feel at home up there. I always feel like the outcast, not fitting in. You guys have welcomed me after just barely knowing me. Up there, I've never had that. So…yeah, I think I would like to stay." He looked up at the Underlanders only to be met by everyone staring at him in interest. Even Ripred hadn't expected this.

Luxa finally responded, "I see. Well, if that is indeed your desire, then we will honor it and arrange for you to stay.

Howard's hand clapped Ethan on the shoulder. "I know we said it before, but I feel it appropriate to say it again: welcome to the Underland!"

"Thanks," Ethan said, blushing ever so slightly.

"Oh look, you've embarrassed him, Howard," teased Ripred. "And here I thought that was my job."

. . .

Howard led the way down a confusing maze of passageways to Ethan's room. The rest of dinner had been uneventful aside from friendly small talk. As Howard led the way, they walked in silence until reaching the room. "Here are your quarters," he gestured into a spacious room lit by a lantern on the wall. The room was adorned only by a bed, a small cavity in the wall that Ethan assumed was a closet, and a couch. "You'll find a bathroom down that hall a short ways," he said pointing farther down. "Is there anything else that you need before you retire for the night?"

"No, it should be alright," Ethan responded. "Thanks again for everything."

"You're welcome."

"I suppose I'll learn how life works down here tomorrow."

Howard nodded, "Indeed, tomorrow you will likely be taught much about Regalian ways."

"Well, I'll let you go now. Goodnight, Howard."

"Overlander," Howard said quickly.

"Call me Ethan. I'm one of you guys now, remember?"

He smiled, but he looked somewhat troubled. "Ethan, I know that the thought has likely not even crossed your mind, and you can't possibly understand why I ask this, but I want you to promise me one thing. It concerns my cousin, Luxa." Ethan waited, not sure where Howard was going with this. "I want you to promise that you won't hurt her," Howard finally said.

Ethan was looked confused, "You mean like, physically hurt her?"

"No, no, I do not presume that you would harm her in such a way. I'm talking about her heart. You see, the last Overlander to come down to the Underland managed to capture my cousin's heart. He, however, did not choose to stay, and it still pains her even to this day. Thus, I ask that you not do likewise."

"Is that why Luxa seemed disappointed when I first showed up in the arena? She thought I might be…him?" Howard nodded. After a short pause, Ethan said, "I promise. I will not do that to her."

Looking slightly more relaxed, Howard smiled and wished Ethan a good night. After visiting the bathroom down the hall, Ethan made his way to his bed. He turned the lantern off, and crawled under the sheets. The complete darkness was something he was not altogether used to, but he soon grew accustomed to it and lay in bed thinking about his conversation with Howard. It's not like it really mattered. The queen wasn't going to fall for a guy like him, nor would he fall for her. Would he? He thought of his first time seeing her in the arena; in mere seconds he had been completely impressed by her beauty, but he barely knew her. There was no sense liking someone before you even knew anything about them. All he knew about her was that she was a queen and she was love-sick over some guy who had ditched her. It didn't look like there was much of a chance that anything could happen, but as he drifted off to sleep, Ethan's thoughts kept returning to those violet eyes in the arena. Howard's warning had planted the idea in Ethan's head whether he expected it or not. "What if I actually like her?"

 **And so it begins. Please review with your thought and let me know how it is. I'll also take into account some ideas if you have them. I'll update ASAP.**


	5. Chapter 5

**My apologies for such a long wait. I'm afraid life has been kind of hectic, plus I have another story I'm writing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this read. I'll update ASAP...please show your support by leaving reviews.**

Three weeks later, Ethan almost forgot that he was an Overlander. Since his first day, he had begun training in the arena with a soldier that had been introduced as Mareth. Vikus as well had been keeping Ethan busy, attempting to explain all the history and customs of the Regalians to him while simultaneously trying to find a fitting job for Ethan.

After an internship at a blacksmith shop, Ethan found his niche and asked if he could work full-time in the shop, to which Vikus heartily assented. So Ethan spent his days training in the arena, working in the smith's shop, and learning more about Regalian culture with Vikus. He found little time for relaxation in the midst of all this, but he didn't mind – he felt alive for the first time in years.

His meals were often eaten with Vikus or alone, but after three weeks, he received an invitation similar to the one he got the first night of his arrival. This time, however, the party was more limited; in fact, when he arrived, he found that he was early, and the only other individual present so far was Luxa herself. Ethan hadn't thought about it much at all since Howard had spoken to him, but in that moment when he walked into the room and her violet eyes met his, his thoughts immediately shifted to her and Howard's warning. He knew he should probably make some excuse to leave the room until someone else joined them, but he found himself simply continuing forward and settling into a chair a couple spaces away from her.

"Greetings, Overlander," Luxa said in a friendly tone, "Thank you for accepting my invitation."

"Thanks for inviting me," he responded in kind.

"It should not be long before others arrive. I expect Ripred, Aurora, and Howard to join us."

Ethan found himself longing in that moment to learn more about this beautiful, strange girl sitting nearby, but before his mouth could ask anything, Ripred lounged into the room. He paused as he noticed that it was only the two of them at the table, then plopped himself next to Luxa and moaned, "So are we eating soon or shall I inform the hospital of my starving to death in advance?"

She smiled, "We will eat when the others arrive."

"Ah yes, about that," Ripred started, "I saw Howard on my way over, and he didn't look so good. It was hard to tell, but I think I heard another doctor saying something about food poisoning in between his vomiting. I think it's safe to assume that our party will consist of one fewer than expected."

Luxa looked mildly concerned at the news, but Ripred didn't seem all that worried, so she could only assume that Howard's health was not in serious jeopardy. A minute later, Aurora joined them, and the meal commenced.

After the meal ended, Luxa stated that she was going to the hospital to check on her cousin. Before he could think about it, Ethan said, "I'll go with you." Luxa didn't protest, but Ethan noticed Ripred's eyebrows rise slightly, but he as well didn't say anything. The two rose and left the room, walking in the direction of the hospital.

After a few moments of silence Luxa asked the obvious question, "Why did you come as well?"

Ethan hadn't expected such bluntness and was visibly caught off guard. "I, uh, just wanted to see how Howard is doing." It was a cop-out and they both knew it, but she didn't press him for an answer, which he appreciated. Instead, she abruptly switched to asking him about his job at the blacksmith. The casual conversation was pleasant, but as soon as they entered the hospital the quickly hushed and quietly made their way to Howard's room.

He was lying on a clean, white bed, looking like someone with food poisoning – go figure. He looked their way as they entered and Ethan could see a mixed response of pleasure and caution on his face. "Luxa, Ethan, how kind for the…two of you to come and see me," Howard smiled with effort.

Luxa sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on his forehead, "Of course I would come and see that you haven't killed yourself," she said with humor. "The Overlander was concerned about you as well."

"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked, going with Luxa's cover for him.

"I feel like I drank the entire Waterway and then was punched in the gut. Why do you ask?" Man, the Underlanders were not short on sarcasm today. Howard made the effort to sit up, and he and Luxa exchanged some friendly conversation.

After a few minutes, Luxa assured Howard that she would come and check on him again the next day if he had not gotten any better. Then she moved to leave the room, and as she turned her back, Howard motioned for Ethan to stay. Noticing that he had not joined her, Luxa turned in confusion.

"I'll just be a minute. You go ahead," Ethan said. She nodded and left the two behind. "What's up?" he asked when they were alone.

Howard shifted uncomfortably. "I just wanted to ask you why you came to visit. I know it wasn't just out of concern for me."

"I don't know honestly. Luxa said she was going to see you and I volunteered to join her before I really knew what I was doing."

Howard sighed, "I know it is not your intention, but as I've said before, I just don't want my cousin to be hurt. I simply request that you remember your promise."

Ethan hesitated, "Howard, I don't want to hide anything from you. I feel you should know that, while I haven't tried, I find myself thinking of Luxa more and more. I think…I don't want to sound foolish, but I think I'm beginning to have feelings for her." Even as he admitted it, his heart was burning with conviction, and he knew that he had feelings.

The news didn't seem to altogether shock Howard, but it did send him to the basin near the bed, which Ethan assumed now was where Howard had been emptying his breakfast. After heaving for a minute, Howard sank back into bed, looking terrible. He gazed back toward Ethan with a look of weakness. "I can't stop you from feeling this way," he said softly. "But I can say this: if you do intend to pursue these feelings, be sure that you intend to pursue them all the way."

"Howard, I'm not even sure what my feelings for her are. I'm not yet planning to make any attempts to…well…" the words died in Ethan's mouth and he shook his head in confusion. "I just don't know what to do."

Howard looked at him a moment, then said, "Why don't you start by getting to know her?"

He caught Ethan off guard. "You mean, you think it would be a good idea?"

A small smile appeared on Howard's face. "I trust you. And Luxa needs someone to pull her out of her misery. Who knows? Maybe it will be you."

Ethan stared blankly at the floor. "I…I don't know what to say."

"How about, 'goodnight,' and you go find her?"

The smile slowly appeared on Ethan's face now. "Goodnight, Howard. Thank you." With that, he turned and hurried out of the room to find Luxa. As he went, he realized that he had no idea what he would say to her. Ideas came to him, and by the time he reached the end of a hallway he had planned out exactly what to say. As he searched, he practiced in his head the lines over and over. Suddenly, he turned a corner and found himself face to face with Luxa.

"Overlander!" she exclaimed in surprise, "I mean, Ethan. I'm sorry, you simply startled me."

The practiced lines flew out of Ethan's head as soon as he saw her, and he found himself struggling to find a single word to say. Fortunately, she spoke again, "What did you talk to Howard about?"

Terrific, the one thing that he couldn't answer. He tried to say something nonchalant, "Oh, we were just talking about the Fount. Vikus told me to talk to Howard about it since I'm learning about Underland customs and stuff." Apparently it sounded real enough as Luxa nodded. She looked like she was about to leave, but words suddenly came from his mouth again, "Are you doing anything tomorrow after lunch?"

She gave a look of displeasure, "As queen it seems I _always_ am doing something. Why do you ask?"

Ethan's confidence fell somewhere near his ankles. "Oh, well if you're busy then just forget I said anything." All he could think now was that he needed to get away.

Her countenance shifted to a sly smile. "I may be busy, but I have gotten pretty good at disappearing at times when I need to just get away. What were you going to suggest?"

The confidence rose now to somewhere around his knees, and he found the nerve to ask, "Well all I've done is just kind of learn about the Underland from Vikus, but I've been wanting to actually go out and see it for myself. And I figured who would be better to have along to show me stuff than the queen herself?"

She nodded seriously like this sounded perfectly reasonable to her. "What time did you say again?"

He smiled, "I was thinking just after lunch."

She shook her head, "You couldn't possibly see any decent amount of the Underland in a few hours; we will have to leave first thing after breakfast. Do you have a flier you can ride?"

Her sudden enthusiasm caught him of guard. He realized that she must be starved of having any fun. Just how long had it been since she had taken time to just relax? He told her that he had been riding Orion in training. "Excellent," she said, "he is a good, strong flier. He and Aurora should be capable of flying us a considerable distance. I shall instruct the cooks to have sufficient food packed. I'll see you in the morning." She walked off without even waiting for a reply. It was as if she had been pricked by a cattle prod, she had so much energy suddenly.

"Till then," Ethan muttered to himself, still staring in the direction she had walked off in. She had taken him completely by surprise with her enthusiasm, and he didn't care what her reasons were, he had just managed to set up an entire day to get to know her. Finally the realization hit him and a smile crossed his face. As he turned to walk back to his room, he couldn't help thinking that night was going to be the slowest of his life.


End file.
